Time running out for Murphy’s Holden

Redemption will be on V8 Supercars great Greg Murphy’s mind at next week’s Gold Coast 600 – if his Holden team repair the Commodore he crashed at the Bathurst 1000 in time.

Murphy might have been given the all clear medically after all but dashing co-driver James Courtney’s V8 championship hopes with his 20th-lap shunt on Mount Panorama last weekend.

But the Commodore Murphy slammed into the track’s concrete wall was not so lucky.

Holden Racing Team (HRT) is racing the clock to rebuild the Commodore before leave its Melbourne base on Sunday for the year’s final endurance race.

Murphy hoped to make it up to Courtney – who dropped from fifth to ninth in the drivers’ standings, thanks to the dreaded Bathurst DNF – if they made it to the glitter strip.

“Physically, I’m fine. The car’s safety features did their job and prevented any neck or back injuries,” Murphy said.

“Mentally, it’s painful. I started thinking about what might have been if the crash hadn’t happened.

“I know James would have been somewhere in the mix with the leaders.”

The four-time Bathurst champion conceded the spectacular crash came down to driver error.

“We’ve had a look at the data and I tried to carry a fraction too much speed,” Murphy said.

“Everybody has experienced highs and lows at Bathurst and I’m fortunate to have had plenty of highs, but the weekend was one of the lowest of lows.

“I feel for James and the team.”

But Murphy felt if he was ever to get his mojo back, it would be on the Gold Coast where he is again set to partner Courtney.

It will mark the final V8 appearance this year for Murphy who does not have a full-time drive for the first time since 1998.

“The boys have been putting in long hours and are working away to get the car back on its feet and there’s not a lot of time before it has to be ready and on the road to Queensland,” Murphy said.

“(But) I’ve always loved the Gold Coast.

“It’s a lovely environment, a track with great characteristics and an amazing atmosphere, so there’s no better place to get back into the car.”

Courtney backed Murphy to bounce back.

“Murph is a seasoned professional. Sure, Bathurst ended disappointingly but I’ve already talked to him about the Gold Coast and I know we’ll be fine,” he said.

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